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Got yelled at by a local in Bangkok for using the wrong hand to pay for my pad thai
I was at a street stall in Bangkok last November and handed the vendor a 100 baht note with my left hand without thinking. She immediately snapped at me in Thai and I froze not understanding what I did wrong. The guy next to me explained that using your left hand for money is considered super rude there because it's the dirty hand. I apologized best I could and she softened up after but man I felt like a complete idiot for the rest of the day. Has anyone else accidentally offended a local while traveling and had to learn customs the hard way?
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the_eric15h ago
Totally feel you on this one. I did almost the exact same thing in Vietnam, handed a shopkeeper some change with my left hand and she gave me this look like I'd just insulted her whole family. It's one of those tiny customs you never think about until you're standing there red faced and confused. The thing is, in a lot of Asian cultures the left hand is literally for bathroom stuff, so using it for money or passing things is a big no no. I remember feeling so stupid after, like I should have done some basic research before going. But honestly, locals usually appreciate when you try to learn and apologize, it shows respect even if you mess up.
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miasanchez14h ago
Wait, hold on, is that really true about the left hand thing in Vietnam? I mean, I've heard about it in some countries but I didn't know it was that serious there. @the_eric, that's wild to me that she gave you that kind of reaction, like I guess it makes sense but wow. I would have been so mortified, I probably would have just apologized and tried to hand it over with my right hand again like a fool.
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